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Okta to Acquire Auth0 for $6.5B

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Re: Okta to Acquire Auth0 for $6.5B

#221
post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, but it's not a 1-1 comparison. If Hulu gets compromised you only lose your (hopefully unique) Hulu credentials. If your password manager gets compromised a single attacker gets access to _all_ of your accounts. The security standard for a password manager is much, much higher than pretty much any other service. Password managers are still the best option for most cases, but having to put such an incredible amou…

The problem is a password manager becomes such a valuable target. Sure, they have more security resources given the nature of their business, but it's that password management company's security staff versus a world's-sized quantity of potential bad actors, and one of those two groups has more resources than the other.

Exactly.

I felt a lot safer using something like KeePass, and synchronizing the encrypted database using something like Dropbox.

There's not a central target that would get caught up in large scale attacks aside from Dropbox itself - and even if they get access to that somehow, they'd then have to care about me specifically enough to run expensive offline attacks on the encrypted database. Anyone targeting me directly with those kinds of resources already has better avenues of attack.

Re: Okta to Acquire Auth0 for $6.5B

#222

$6,500,000,000.00 for a company providing authentication APIs? Am I the only person left on earth that hasn't lost his mind?

Yes, you're the only one who can see the truth in the whole world. We all know that

Slack = just IRC

Dropbox = just rsync

Twitter = just a weekend project

etc

Re: Okta to Acquire Auth0 for $6.5B

#223

$6,500,000,000.00 for a company providing authentication APIs? Am I the only person left on earth that hasn't lost his mind?

I'm in the same boat and I use okta for work and have no clue what the hell it does or why this just can't be accomplished using open source.

Identity is a very sensitive area with strict cryptography and compliance requirement regarding password hashing, token signing etc. Then they have to keep updated with ever changing OAUTH/SAML standards and integration with providers like Facebook/Google etc. They have to get audited and certified like ISO 27001, HiTRUST etc. These are very expensive to manage and high risk for non-tech companies (think banks, insurance, utilities etc.) and hence are outsourced.

Re: Okta to Acquire Auth0 for $6.5B

#224
post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except that AWS and Google have their own offerings (and the I think these aren't SSO companies as much as Auth as a Service providers)

Azure AD is the biggest in the game by far in terms of SSO, stretching every vertical from education to investment banking.

Azure AD B2C for customer IAM is lagging way behind Okta/Auth0 etc. Sure AAD is great enterprise users or B2B but millions of customer login, branding, app experience B2C sucks.

Re: Okta to Acquire Auth0 for $6.5B

#225
post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hey Dan, curious: why it's so difficult to figure out who is behind the company from the website?

I'm curious why that matters? Part of that curiosity is because the answers so far talk about 'About'pages and similar. What's the added benefit/trust you are looking for here? Apologies if my question is naïve.

To me, the about us page is one of the more difficult things to fake and can at least tell you whether the company is brand new or maybe owned by a big company or just a recent startup.

I have found out quite a few scams by looking at the about us page and researching the names on the page. Most everyone working in tech had some kind of digital trail that would take a lot of effort to fake.

If I get taken for a ride, I want to at least know who is going the driving.

Re: Okta to Acquire Auth0 for $6.5B

#227
post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is that Google, FB, Microsoft and all the other "auth providers" are able to deliver a good and free auth service because it's subsidised by their other products. Whereas Okta, Auth0, etc. cannot, since that is their product. So they have to charge. Given network effects, a free auth system will always beat a paid one, except where the user is compelled to use it. (e.g. you want to use my SaaS product? Yo…

I am not sure about that. Thee same strengths that FAANG brings means that they don't have the intense focus that companies like Auth0/Okta/others bring. See how many people are complaining about Firebase and Cognito in other threads. Having the auth system be your primary revenue stream means you pay very close attention to it, whether that be marketing or engineering. If it is just a freebie/side offereing you add…

Fair comment.

However I don't see many web sites with a "sign in with FusionAuth" button, and I don't see any way to get such a button for my site.

Not without paying anyway - which is really my whole point. Free will always win.

Re: Okta to Acquire Auth0 for $6.5B

#228
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Acquisitions don't happen exclusively because a company is buying out someone who is better than them. Sometimes they happen so a company can buy out someone so they won't have the chance to become better than them and a serious competitor.

And for those in the back that don't know, using that as a reason for an acquisition is illegal and considered anti-competitive practice, hence you'll never hear a company publicly state that reason.

[deleted]

Re: Okta to Acquire Auth0 for $6.5B

#229
post #208

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used to work on the Okta team that made those libraries. We were a tiny team with not nearly enough people. As far as I could tell, Okta is a sales company. The salespeople got the fancy events, the high floors with nice views, all the budget. On my orientation day it was almost entirely sales people and only one other engineer. Also the pay was laughable compared to any of the other jobs I’ve had before or since.…

> Also the pay was laughable compared to any of the other jobs I’ve had before or since. Really? I'm shocked to hear this considering their successful IPO. Most engineers in SV get options and I would imagine those engineering options would be worth a lot 12-months post IPO.

Also worked at Okta. Can confirm, pay is surprisingly shit.
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